Area effect spells while unconcious

[incognito]

Hey,

If you drop to, say, -1 hp during a melee, and then a fireball goes off:

A) do you get a save?
1) do you get the benefit of evasion and improved evasion?
2) What is your DEX considered to be?
3) Anyhting else I'm missing?

 

[Lord Thurham]

Don't have my books in front of me, but here's my two cents worth.

I would treat the unconsious victim as unable to "dodge" or move out of the way, in other words, an unattended object is the closest thing that comes to mind.

Unattended objects do get saving throws - so an unconcious victim should be allowed one as well. As for the dexterity, evasion, improved evasion, I would not allow the modifiers to come into play. It can be argued both ways, "He's unable to move so apply a -5 modifier" If you allow the -5 modifer, one could argue that an 18 dexterity does come into play (Thus the +4 modifier).

LT

 

[the Jester]

I've ruled that you always get a save, and if you can wake up as the blast goes off (normal sleep vs. being knocked out) you can still evade... it hasn't come up this way, with the victim unconscious from damage, but I don't think I'd allow evasion or anything like that to kick in. If your unconscious (vs. asleep) I'd prolly assume no dex bonus to the Reflex save, too....

 

[shilsen]

Hey,

If you drop to, say, -1 hp during a melee, and then a fireball goes off:

A) do you get a save?
1) do you get the benefit of evasion and improved evasion?
2) What is your DEX considered to be?
3) Anyhting else I'm missing?

This is how I'd do it (not sure how much of this is canon):

You do get a save.
1) No benefit from evasion or improved evasion
2) Dex is considered to be 0 (you're a helpless character), giving you a -5 Dex modifier to the save.
3) Nope. Other than that you probably need a Raise Dead scroll around